1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to copper base alloys with excellent corrosion resistance and machinability, containing copper and zinc as the main components, with the addition of tin, lead, nickel, iron, and beryllium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been hitherto known as plastic forming copper alloys, free-cutting brass bar, forging brass bar, naval brass bar, high strength brass bar, special aluminum bronze bar, etc.. But these are not satisfactory as a material having both corrosion resistance and machinability. Particularly, free-cutting brass bar and forging brass bar with good cutting property are generally used for valve components. However, these materials, which have a high zinc content, are susceptible to dezincification corrosion in sea water or polluted water. On the other hand, it is well known, that naval brass bar, high strength brass bar and special aluminum bronze bar, which all have good corrosion resistance (against dezincification or dealuminizing corrosion), do not have good cutting properties. Further, such high strength brass bar and special aluminum bronze bar contain aluminum, silicon and manganese and are defective, in that, when used as scrap, i.e., return, for bronze castings, the elements have a bad effect on the soundness of the bronze casting.
It is also known, in the conventional processing of copper-tin alloys having an alpha plus beta phase or just having an alpha phase, after the conventional hot and/or cold rolling step, to anneal the alloy at a low temperature, i.e., between 250.degree. and 300.degree. C, to reduce the residual internal stress. This low temperature treatment is also effective to improve the machinability of the alloy somewhat, although a corresponding detrimental effect on the workability may also be observed.